Wednesday, April 30, 2014

poetry boot camp

The moment is upon us. Please deliver on time.

STEP 1: Convene a group.

Poetry
is something you need to talk about. You need to read it aloud and
have it read aloud to you. You need to hear that someone caught the
same possibility of meaning you did. Invite 2-9 people you think will
add insight to a conversation about at least three poems. (NOTE: you
can invite one group of people and still participate with another group
that invites you. The more practice the better, and you and you will
either get unique perspectives on >6 poems or you will have an
opportunity to see how two different audiences can interpret the same
poems so similarly/differently.)

STEP 2: Select poetry from the menu you suggested (after the jump).

You
must select at least three and there is no maximum. If you'd like to
add a poem you feel strongly about please do so in the comments. If
you'd like to see what else has already been vetted have a look at the Poetry Reading List.

STEP 3: Read the poem.

Read
the poem. Then read it again. Seriously. Like, over and over.
Meditate on it. Read it at least seven times. Think about what sounds
different or makes new sense in the seventh reading.

STEP 4: Read & discuss the Vendler & TP-CASST grids with your group, and determine who will do which.
In
class tomorrow and Wednesday we will go over these highly structured
ways of dissecting poems. Since dissection is rarely a high point for a frog-lover, please keep the exam and the goal you set
for it in mind. You will be relying on these tools extensively over the
week. After the exam please shake your head really hard
and read a poem just to make sure you don't see a grid.

STEP 5: Meet with your group to analyze each poem through the Vendler & TP-CASST grids.

This
is where you want to dust off your critical thinking chops and clarify,
consider things from different perspectives, challenge, research, and
identify the best of everyone's thinking on each point. Take "best of"
notes that you can use to outline your essays.

[DELIVERABLE
#3: POST "GROUPTHINK"--A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS CONVERSATION LED YOU
TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF A POEM, THE AP EXAM, OR [?]-- TO YOUR BLOG
BY 11:59 P.M. FRIDAY 5/2.]

STEP 6: Write your essays.

[DELIVERABLE #4: POST "AT LEAST TWO POETRY ESSAYS" (THAT'S THE TITLE, TOO; THERE IS NO MAX) TO YOUR BLOG BY 11:59 P.M. SATURDAY 5/3. THAT'S RIGHT. SATURDAY. BETWEEN PROSE ESSAYS [TBD]. EMBRACE THE SUCK TODAY. YOU WILL WIN NEXT WEEK.